Photographic camera for making systematic identification of negatives



Aug. 6, 1940. R. WHITE 2.210510 PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA FOR MAKINGSYSTEMATIC IDENTIFICATION OF NEGATIVES Filed June 10, 1937 2Sheets-Sheet l IN VENT OR.

60 3 Raeburm T Wu'z'e A ORNEYS.

R. WHITE Aug. 6, 1940.

PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA FOR MAKING SYSTEMATfC IDENTIFICATION OF NEGATIVESFiled Jun 10, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 H I YENTOR:

fzzie ATTORNEYS.

I Patented Aug. 6,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA FOR MAKING S'fTEMATIOIDENTIFICATION OF NEGA- T ES Raeburn White, Boston, Mass., assignor ofonehalf to Warren K. Vantine, Newton, Mass.

Application June 10, 1937, Serial No. 147.499

2 Claims. (01. 95 1.1

In the production of photographic negatives, the upper portion of therear of an indicated it has become increasingly important for variedcamera so equipped as from the right of Fig. 1, uses to provide definiteconcurrently made and identification. Fig. 7 is a sectional view showingthe pinion Where a large number of negatives are taken and rackconstruction. 5

or produced, their identity has usually been The camera shown in theaccompanying drawestablished by a manual or like record system in ingsis of the portrait type. My invention may which identification is madeafter the negative be applied to any type of camera but the regularhas'been developed or printed or'taken to the studio equipment is inpoint in connection with 10 dark room and numbered before developing.the discussion of the selected example of prac- 10 My present inventionprovides for an immeditice according to my method. ate basis ofidentification made as an integral Referring to Fig. 1 and to Such p 5as I ave part of any negative and definitely available for thoughtpertinent, I have shown a bed indicated present or future identificationaccording to any generally at l a d at 2 the usual front or lensdesiredrecording system of hich it 'a t matboard supporting one end of thebellows 3 which 15 ically be o es a part, It i self-perpetuating isconnected at its opposite end to a back frame 4. not only throughout itsown life but in whatever In Fi 3 I have shown a removable frame 60prints or other reproductions are made from it. Separated to illustratethat this equipment 6 As illustrative of my invention and the pracberemoved from the camera as a unit and put tices thereunder, I willdescribe characteristic n ny o h r camera f h m m yl 20 equipment inconnection with photographic por- Or the camera used without theattachment. traiture as practiced on any considerable scale. The backframe of the camera 4 has a D 40 It will be understood, of course, thatsuch an w i i a simple metal sp ip ap d t example and explanation of itsdetails is not to pring ov r the e e of the removableframe 60 5 be takenas limiting, but as giving definite pracw in Place d y e d y pressedagainst it. tlcal instruction in a particular field of useful- AS Shownin 1 I p v de a Second or follower ness. It aflf'ords an excellentexample because it frame 70 Which is P Of the p a e der 5 and representscharacteristic problems and their is held by a C p On t em able frame 60solution in that well known field so that my that carries the secondarypho o r p System 3 teachings are thus'made directly available for n ud nt depending tubular Casing It is $0 adoption and profitable enjoymentby. others. provided with a carriage 6 for a film F or plate Theiradaptation to the various related fields of in a hol r capable f being ler lly shifted photography will be immediately apparent to or otherwiseset ofi where pictures of less than those familiar with the needs anddetail of each full holder size are to be made, as the so-calledbusiness in such fields. "two on suggested in Fig. 5 in contrast with 35In the accompanying drawings I have indi- Fig. 4 which is intended tosuggest the relative cated certain equipment and the methodical use fullsize. thereof as applied in the particular field selected On the front 2is indicated a lens mount in for illustration. having a shutter controlll worked by a hand In these drawings: bulb l2 on the control tube l3.At any conveni- 40 Fig. 1 shows a partially sectional view of an empoint I provide a switch l4 worked by a small indicated camera equippedaccording to my inpiston 15 Connected y the branch e to 8 vention.triple coupler I! connected in another branch Fig. 2 is a diagrammaticindication of the auxto e shutter control I3. iliary exposure system. aThe switch H is disposed so as to make or 45 Fig 3 is a view indicatingan actuating device break the electrical connection in a circuit 20. forauxiliary or serial identification as disposed In the circuit 29,Preferably located at the top 01' at th a b and l showing a simple theback frame 4, is a small light projector 2| of basis of verticaladjustment for change of negaany desired form, but having a light bulband 5 ti sizefocusing lens (not shown) and directing its beam 5 Fig, 4illustrates one size of negative produced on the identification holder30. This holder 80 according to my invention. has a cover l8 aperturedat 19 to expose sup- Fig. 5 is a corresponding view where thenegaplementary identification indicia as indicated at tive is used fortwo exposures. I These indicia are shown as numerals which Fig. 6 is anenlarged fragmentary view as at are to be understood as part of theseries I used, 55 r A e tion for exposure.

for example, to supplement the series I of the for sittings as for theportrait work heretofore suggested. Such a slip S may be held by springfinger 32 on the holder 30.

.In a studio handling a considerable volume of business, the. number ofnegatives exposed in a day's work may run into manyhundreds, an actualinstance cited being fifteen hundred, to illustrate the importance ofnegative identification in such a system. Such a system slip is usuallyfilled in with the name and address of the patron, the character ofportrait desired, the

cient and orderly business procedure.

Usually such a slip S is made out by-anattendant at the booking desk orcounter in the ofiice or reception room. It is usually in triplicate,one for the office records and accounts, a second for a customeracknowledgment or receipt in case a deposit is required, while the'thirdgoes to the studio proper for assignment to the photographer who is togive'the sitting and make the necessary negatives and/or proofsaccording to the organization and its routine. s The identificationnumerals as indicated at I with supplement .1 if used, becomes the keynot only to the immediate portrait order and its transaction, butbyfiling in any system is highly important on repeat or future orders forthe finished pictures or repeat orders.

The difiiculty, as first suggested, has been to provide reliableidentification for each negative made. The need of such identificationbegins as soonas an exposure ismade and in the past the filling of thatneed has been open to all the possibilities of human error at" thecamera, in

the dark room or in printing the first proofs or prints,

As for the proofs are usually taken by or sent to the customer forselection for the preferred ,pose or size or other variant of thepictures desired, the negative has formerly had to be held in manuallyidentified envelopes or like containers untilfinal choice has been madeand the unselected trial negatives disposed of.

As a means of carrying out my concept of integral negativeidentification I providean auxiliary system such as indicated. As shownthis consists of a tube or'conductorcasing 40. This has'an' objectiveend 4| disposed in focus on the area of the indiciav I and I whensupported on the holder 30.

.Its opposite or projecting end. 42 is disposed opposite some selectedspot in the plane occupied by the surface of the film or plate when inposi Such delivery or projecting end is usually disposed at the edge ofthe plate so as not to interfere with the actual picture being taken. Inpractice prints may be matted over or even trimmed off if undesired.-iThe identification is-actually so small and inconspicuously located onany print that it is wholly unobjectionable and, of course, its presenceon any finished picture even though matted over is of permanent andcontinuing importance to both customer and studio in casea repeat oremergency publicity order is desired made from any favored negative.

In Fig. 2 .I have indicated schematically the optics of such anauxiliary system for transmitting the identification image from theobjective end 4| to the projecting end 42. Such a system may consist ofan objective lens or lenses L size, number and other details importantto eifi mounted to provide focus for the system. The

image picked up by the system is reflected from the surface of theidentification slip or ticket S, each time the beam of light from theprojector source 2| is switched on as at I4. The switch l4, actuatingdevice l5 and batteries B may be mounted in a box 6| for transportationor like purposes, at which time the rubber tubes and wire connectionsare simply disconnected at their respective couplings.

' In the instance of a portrait or smaller record it is important thatthe negative image be as .small as is consistent with theidentification. I

'of the identification as small as is desired. If

desired, it can be made so small that a magnifying glass is used to readit.

The image of the identification data indicated at I on the slip S isfirst reflected in the system indicated by a prism or mirror surface orlike divertingsurface ,P disposed to deflect the incident rays as at anangle of 90 and downwardly through the vertical part'4ll of the casing.77

The projector end 42 of the casing, as'indicated in Fig. 2, preferablyprovided with a semi-flexible rubber tip 43 produced as at 44 fromtheconvenient circular cross section of the main casing 40 to aflattened or oval form'best seen in Fig. 6. This gives to theidentification image incident upon the sensitized surface of the platebeing used for theparticular exposure then being made, a convenientlydefined outline which is inconspicuous and yet the recordidentificationiscapable of being perfectly identifiedas atr'ade mark when looked forat any time of need. The

form may be varied, but the flattened oval combines wellwith circularoptics and permit any desired reduction or modification of figure.

, Where the projection point on any plate is to be in other than thatof.its normal single exposure position, I provide for shifting the wholeauxiliary identification system. This may be conveniently accomplishedby mounting it upon a vertically shiftable frame 50.

In the form shown, the frame is slidably supported at one end as at 5|on a rack 52 engaged by a pinion 54 on the shaft of the operating knob53. The frame 50 carries the source of illumination 2| with its wiring20 to any source of current, as for example, the batteriesB, B.

.On the frame 5|] I may also mount a piston 35 workingthe pawl 34 forthe ratchet wheel 33 of the mechanism of the supplemental series P. Thestop pin 31 on the pawl bar 38 working be tween the ears .39 on theframe 50 limits the motion of the pawl 34 past the ratchet wheel 33.Upon the release of the shutter bulb l2 the spring 36 retracts the pawlbar 38 actuating the, auxiliary series I through one step or movement toset .up the next supplementary number to be photographed with the mainidentification I of the slip S. The piston 35 is connected by the tube80 to the third branch.

Such apparatus is simple and its use consistent with almost any usualphotographic studio practice. It combines with almost any usualidentification system now used in studios and-the identificationobtained becomes automatically an integral and basic part of which is anew system and a new method of identification'and record.

While the various uses will be app rent from the foregoing to thoseexperienced in this artand its practices, I will trace briefly themethodical course of a system based on the invention.

From the time of the arrival of the future sitter, at which time thesystem identification slips S are made to the time of delivery of thefinished portraits or like pictures, and as long as they last in humaninterest, the slip number carries the positive basic identification I.

For example, when the sitter goes to the camera a copy of the originaloffice slip is in the hands of the operator with full information, butmost important in the system, showing the identification number. Theoperator having observed the usual noted instructions clips the slip onthe holder 30. The posing of the sitter and the necessary exposures arethen made in the usual manner. The slipv S can then be'filed for futurereference.

It may be noted in anticipation of immediately apparent difficultiesthat although the usual operator tests his shutter after focusingandbefore pulling the slide of the plate holder by one or two squeezesof his operation bulb l2, this may and usually does preferably flash theillumination source 2| of the projector. Such serves as a check andtell-tale on the readiness of the camera for its work. The desirednumber of exposures are then made in the usual manner.

Upon the development of the negatives the number I identifying thesitter and the general order becomes of itself a permanent recordintegral with each negative and each print from it. In practice, asbefore suggested, there are usually several poses and therefore severalnegatives related to the same sitting. My invention contemplates the useof serial indicia I in connection with the main sitting or order number.These may be variously provided in addition to the key number I and asmy method purposes the elimiprinciples of my nation of human error asfar as possible, I provide a mechanical basis of serial addition.

As shown in Fig. 6, this may be a simple numerical progressivelyindicating device such as that suggested in the drawings at I Whilethis, of course, actuates the serial device each time the bulb ispressed, whether for test or actual exposure, there is no difficultyinvolved as according to my method. the sequence of the serial indicia'Iis inconsequential as suggested by the skip in the serial shown in Fig.5. Such an indicator provides a suflicient number of serials to providefor all possible exposures desired at any sitting Without repeating.Whatever their occurrence, the important fact is that they appear on thenegatives when made. So difierentiated their identity may be recorded sothat each particular negative has not only its main identifying ordernumber, but also a serial indicative of its own status in the system.

While my method may be variously practiced and by various apparatus, Ihave indicated means practically adapted to studio use and thereforeforming a basis for adoption for saving the "expense and embarrassmentof lost or unidentifiable negatives. As before suggested, my equipmentmay and doubtless will be variously modified to adapt it to differentneeds and the method of operating may likewise be made to conform to andsupplement any regular or special system that any studio may haveadopted for its operating or account basis.

Also, it will be understood that while I have discussed my inventionfrom problems of the portrait studio, it may be used in almost any lineof photographic activity in which such negative identity is importantand convenient.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Photographic apparatus comprising, a recording medium, a majorphotographic system, fixed means identifying the subject to bephotographed, movable photograph-identifying means adapted to exposeindividual for each photograph of said subject, an auxiliaryphotographic system for photographing on said recording medium saidsubject-identifying means and the then exposed photograph-identifyingindicia, common means for moving said photographic systems, and meanssynchronized with the operation of said photographic systems foroperating said photograph-identifying means so that individualidentifying indicia is presented for each succeeding photograph upon theoperation of said photographic systems.

2. Photographic apparatus including a photographic lens, a recordingmedium, stationary subject-identifying indicia, movable photographidentifying indicia, an-optical system for projecting the images of bothsaid indicia on to a selected part of said recording medium, means forexposing said recording medium, means for illuminating both of saidindicia, means for moving said photograph-identifying indicia, and acommon control operably-connected with each of said three named means,operation of said control simultaneously exposing said recording medium,illuminating said indicia and progressively moving said photographidentifying indicia.

RAEBURN WHITE.

identifying indicia

